Container for keys and similar articles with positive inside locks



y 0, 1954 E. B. SNELL CONTAINER FOR KEYS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES WITH POSITIVE INSIDE LOCKS Filed Aug. 5, 1953 WWNUHIIIHIVII [271/917 for Afforneys Patented July 20, 1954 UNITED STATES E ATENT OFFICE CONTAINER FOR KEYS AND SIMILAR AR- TICLES WITH POSITIVE INSIDE LOCKS Earl B. Snell, Fairfield, Conn.

Application August 5, 1953, Serial No. 372,533

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a container for keys and similar articles, and has for an object to provide a container of this type with a positive inside look for securing the pin or post on which the keys or similar articles are mounted, to prevent its becoming detached While being carried in the pocket or other means and permitting the articles to drop out of the container, or becoming lost.

Another object is to provide a device of this character with a simple means and positive lock for a securing means for the support or mounting for the keys or other articles, which can be unlocked or detached only by positive operation of the securing means from the locked to the unlocked position, to prevent accidental release of the securing means with consequent loss of articles from the container.

A further object is to provide such a container in which the means for releasing the positive connection is normally contained or enclosed within the container, so that when the container is closed there is no danger of the securing means being disconnected and the container must be opened before the releasing means can be operated to permit release of the connection, to thus insure against accidental release of the connection.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a container for keys and the like involving this invention;

Fig. 2 is a section through the mounting means for the keys or other articles taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a partial front view and partial section on an enlarged scale of the device, the section being substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on an enlarged scale substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the mounting post or stud for mounting the keys or other articles;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one form of socket for securing the post of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a detail section showing a somewhat modified form of securing means taken substantially on line 'l'! of Fig. 9;

Fig. 8 is a section taken substantially at right angles to Fig. '7 substantially on line 8-8 of Fig. 9, and

Fig. 9 is a section of the post and elevation of the inner side of the cooperating securing means of Figs. '7 and 8, the section being substantially on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

In a common type of key container, particularly the type used for carrying the ignition and other car keys, a single piece of leather or similar flexible material is folded at the center providing opposite side walls, so that the container is closed on the rear edge and open at the front edge, and at one end is a transverse pin or stud on which the keys are mounted. In a common type, the stud is made in two sections, one mounted in each of the opposite side walls of the container, and they are connected by a threaded connection. In another form the pin or stud has a rounded end insertable in a snap socket or snap type or catch. In these forms of connections, and particularly the screw thread connection, they often loosen up in carrying in a pocket or bag, so that the keys may become detached or lost, and in the snap type of connection, as this is not a positive connection, this may also be inadvertently detached. To overcome these objections, the present device has a positive connection between the mounting post for the keys or other articles and both side walls of the container, the connection to one side wall, however, being releasable to permit insertion or removal of keys or similar articles, but this connection is so arranged that in normal position of the keys, either Within the container or extended therefrom for use, the mounting stud or post is positively connected or interlocked with securing means in this side wall, and this can be released only by a positive operation of the releasing device when the container is open, so that there is no danger of the connection for the mounting for the keys or similar articles becoming accidentally detached, either when the container is closed to enclose the keys or the like, or when the keys are extended for use.

Two different forms of the device are shown in the drawing, but it is to be understood that other specific types of locking or securing means may be used for mounting the article-carrying stud or post and for detachably securing it to the opposite side wall of the container.

The form shown in the drawing comprises a container H! made of any suitable form of flexible material, such, for example, as leather or the like, and as is common in this type of device it is made of a single piece of this flexible material folded at substantially its inidwidth to provide opposite side walls H and I2, connected at their rear edges by the connecting wall I3, but free at their forward edges I 4. Extending transversely between these side walls adjacent one end is a transverse pin, stud or post I5 pivotally mounted in one side wall, in the present case the side wall II, and detachably connected with the opposite side wall I2 by a suitable coacting securing means part of which is carried by the stud or post and part mounted in the side wall I2. In the present arrangement the stud or post I5 includes a neck I6 under an enlarged head I1, this neck being in an opening I8 in the side wall II with the head ll on the outside, and on the inner side is a member I9 which may be of any suitable shape, but preferably is an elongated, fiat member forming a finger grip which is secured to the pin I5 on the opposite side of the side wall II from the head I! and is therefore on the inner side of the side wall. The pin or stud may turn in the opening l8, and as the finger grip I3 is secured to the stud, this is used as a turning means. It may be a plain member or it could be used as a name plate, or a number plate, or other means to act as an identifying member. The stud I5 extends across between the side walls II and I2 and may be used to carry one or more keysor similar articles as which usually have an opening which may be threaded over the free end of the stud. Only one key is shown in the drawing, but it will be understood any number may be carried, depending on the length of the stud or post and therefore the capacity of the device.

The free end of the stud or post I 5 is provided with means cooperating with the securing means it mounted in the opposite side wall I2. In the form of connection shown the stud I 5 is provided with one or more lateral lugs 22. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 5, two of these lugs are shown on diametrically opposite sides of the stud. The cooperating securing member 2I mounted in the side wall I2 comprises a socket member open at its inner side as shown at 23 for entrance of the free end of the stud or post I5, and it has overhanging walls 24 forming the sides of this opening, which walls are provided with notches for entrance of the lugs 22 into the socket, I?

whereupon turning of the stud I5 will shift these lugs to a position under the overhanging side walls 24 to prevent withdrawal of the stud from the socket. It will be understood that therefore the stud can be withdrawn from the socket only when the lugs 22 are in alignment with the notches 25, and in all other positions, as the lugs are under the overhanging walls 24 the stud is positively secured or locked to the socket, and the stud is therefore positively connected to the side wall I 2. The only position in which the lugs 22 are in alignment with the notches 25, and therefore the stud may be disconnected from the socket member 2| and the side wall I2, is when the finger grip or operating member I9 is swung outwardly from its normal position enclosed with in the container. The extended position may be at any angle desired and on the drawing is indicated by the dot-ancl-dash lines 19a in Figs. 1 and 2 with the free end of this member proiecting from the container. The normal locked position is shown in dotted lines IQ!) of Figs. 1 and 2 with this operating finger grip enclosed within the containers between the side walls II and I2. The socket member 2| may be Of any suitable type, but that shown is similar to the female or socket member of a snap-type fastener including an enlarged head 26 on the outer side of the wall I2, a neck portion 21 extending through and seated in an opening in the side wall, and an inner flange 28 on the inner side of the wall I 2, so that the wall is gripped between the head and this flange to secure and mount this socket in a stationary position in the wall I An additional snap fastener of the usual type is shown at 29 and 30 mounted in the opposite side walls adjacent their free edges and about the midlength of the container, so that when the keys or other articles are swung into the container it can be closed to retain them therein, when being carried in the pocket or bag or the like, and similarly, when a key is swung to the extended position for use the container can be closed by this snap fastener to prevent its being accidentally swung back into the container. This snap fastener also, when closed, retains the finger grip or operating member I9 for the stud or post I5 within the container so as to prevent accidental shifting of this member I3 out of the container to accidentally release the interlocking connection between the free end of the stud and the socket 2|. It therefore requires release of the snap fastener 29, 30 to permit swinging of the operating member I9 to the extended position to release the interlocking connection between the stud and socket 2|. A spring catch 39 may be provided mounted on the inner side of side wall II by any suitable means such as the rivet 40 and extending over the finger grip or operating member I9 when it is in its retracted or locking position within the container to prevent its being pulled up or shifted to the released position with a key when the key is swung out of the container to its position for use.

In the form of the device shown in Figs. 7 and 9, only one lug or extension 22 is shown on the stud or pin I5. The socket member 3I corresponding to the socket member 2i of the first form mounted in the side wall I2 of the container therefore has only one notch 32 at the opposite side of the opening 33 in its inner wall to receive the end of the stud in the socket chamber 34 formed in this socket member. This may be of the same construction as that of Figs. 1 to 6, but is shown as a somewhat solid member having an enlarged head 35 at the outer side of the side wall I2, a reduced neck 36 under this head seated in an opening in this side wall and an inner flange 31 on the inner side of the side wall, so that the side wall is gripped between this flange and the head 35 to secure the socket stationary in the side wall. It may be made with this flange in alignment with the neck 33 for insertion in the opening in side wall I2, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 7, and then rolled or turned over into the full line or securing position to mount the socket in this wall. The opening 33 and the notch 32 is formed in an overhanging inner wall 33 at the inner side of the chamber 34, so that after the pin or stud I5 and the lug 22 are inserted in the opening 33 and notch 32, and the pin is turned on its axis, the lug is carried under the overhanging lug 38, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and the pin or stud is interlocked with the socket member the same as described in connection with the first form of the device. In this arrangement, however, the pin I5 may be turned through a greater angle while the lug is in the interlocked position. In the first form the operating member I9 and therefore the pin may be released in two positions about 180 apart, while in the form of Figs. 7 and 9 there is only one position in which the lug 22 is in alignment with the notch 32, and therefore if the pin and socket are arranged in the container so that the lug is in the position shown in Fig. 9, the member l9 would have to be swung through a half-revolution or 180 to bring the lug 22 into ali nment with the notch 32 to permit its disconnection or release from the socket 3|. Therefore in this case the member I9 would have to be swung to a position extending from the end of the container l0, as indicated by the broken lines 190 in Fig. 1.

It will be understood from the above that there is a positive lock or securing means between the stud carrying the keys or other articles and the socket 2| or 3|, which in normal closed position of the container cannot he accidentally released or disconnected to permit release or loss of the keys or other articles from the container; also that in order to release this positive lock or connection there must be positive operation of the releasing means, in this case the finger grip or operating member iii, to shift it from its normal position within the container to some position projecting from the container to turn the stud, at which time the stud or pin 15 may be readily released and disconnected from the oppo site side wall of the container to permit insertion or mounting of the key, for example, on the stud, or its removal from this stud, and then by inserting the end of the stud in the socket and swinging the operating member i9 back into its position within the container, the stud or pin is turned in the opposite direction and positively locked in the socket, and the two side walls of the container are positively connected to this mounting for the keys or other articles.

As indicated, this particular type of locking means is preferred as a simple and effective looking means, but it is shown as one specific means which may be used for positively connecting the elements and retaining them connected during normal operation and prevent them from accidentally separating and becoming detached dur ing carrying or use of the device, but which can be readily disconnected when desired by simple operation of a releasing means, and that other types of interlocking means may be used to effect this result. This gives greater security against loss of keys or other items, and also greater convenience in changing or adding new elements.

It is also possible that the securing device may be reversed, that is, that the mounting stud may be stationary and the securing members 2! and Si mounted to turn in its wall l2 relative to 'the stud. In this arrangement the operating member i9 would be secured to the member M or 3! to turn this member to secure or interlock with and to release the stud.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim:

1. A container for keys and similar articles comprising a piece of flexible material forming a cover including opposite side walls, a mounting stud pivotally mounted in one side wall, a securing member mounted in the other side wall opposite said stud, cooperating securing means on the free end of the stud and said securin member interlocked in one angular position of the stud to connect the side walls of the cover and released in another angular position of the stud to permit placing keys on or removing them from the stud, and an operating member on the stud 6 normally within the cover to turn the stud between the locked and released positions.

2. A container for keys and similar articles comprising a piece of flexible material folded to form a cover including opposite side walls connected at their rear edges and having free separable forward edges, a transverse mounting stud pivotally mounted in one side wall, cooperating means on the free end of the stud and the opposite side wall to secure the stud to said wall in one angular position of the stud and releasable in another angular position to permit placing keys on or removing them from the stud, and a finger grip secured to the stud between the side walls of the cover to turn the stud between the secured and released positions.

3. A container for keys and similar articles comprising a cover including opposite side walls connected at their rear edges and having forward frce edges, a mounting stud member mounted in one side wall, a securing member mounted in the other side wall opposite said stud member, one of said members being turnable relative to the other, cooperating securing means on the stud member and said securing member operated to interlock or release by turning movements of said turnable member to connect or disconnect said side walls, and an operating member on the turnable member normally within the cover to retain said memher in the interlocked position and operable to shift said member to the released position.

4. A container for keys and similar articles comprising a cover including opposite side walls connected at their rear edges and having forward free edges, a mountin stud member mounted in one side wall, a securing member mounted in the other side wall opposite said stud member, means mounting one of said members for turnin movements relative to the other, interlocking securing means on said members operated by said turning movements to connect or release said securing means, an operating member connected to the turnable member operable from a position within the cover to a position projecting therefrom to shift said turnable member from the connected to the released position, and a releasable catch connecting the free edges of the cover and when connected retaining the operating member within the cover.

5. A container for keys and similar articles comprising a cover including opposite side walls, a transverse mounting stud mounted for turning movements in one side wall and provided with a lateral lug adjacent its free end, a securing member mounted in the opposite side wall and provided with a socket including overhanging side walls and an opening in said walls to receive the free end of the stud, said overhanging walls provided with a notch at one side of the opening to permit passage of the lug into the socket, and an operating member secured to the stud and operable to turn the stud to shift said lug from and to alignment with said notch to shift said stud to and from an interlocked position with said securing member to connect the stud to and release it from said securing member.

6. A container for keys and similar articles comprisin a cover including opposite side walls, a transverse mounting stud mounted for turning movements in one side wall and provided with a lateral lug adjacent its free end, a securing member mounted in the opposite side wall and provided with a socket and an opening leading to said socket to receive the free end of the stud, said opening being formed in overhangin walls provided with a notch at one side of the opening for passage of the lug on the stud, an operating member connected to the stud for operating it to shift the lug between a released position in alignment with said notch and an interlocked position under the overhanging walls, and said notch and lug being arranged so that the lug is in an interlocked position when the operating member is in a retracted position within the cover and the lug is in alignment with the notch to release the stud when the operating member is shifted to a position projecting from the cover.

7. A container for keys and similar articles comprising a cover including opposite side walls, a transverse mounting stud mounted for turning movements in one side wall, a securing member mounted in the opposite side wall, cooperating securing means on the free end of the stud and said securing member interlocked in one angular position of the stud to connect the side walls of the cover and released in another angular position of the stud to permit placing keys on or removing them from the stud, an operating member on the stud to turn the stud between the interlocked and released positions, said operating member being normally Within the cover to retain the stud in the interlocked position and shiftable to a position projecting from the cover to turn the stud to the released position, and a releasable catch within the cover to normally retain the operating member in its position Within the cover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,641,110 Wulfing Aug. 30, 192'? 1,848,971 Parrella Mar. 8, 1932 1,914,318 Yankovitch June 13, 1933 1,962,035 Reiter June 5, 1934; 2,463,815 Smith Mar. 8, 1949 

